Quickie Quiz

[batmagadanleadoff]

Who was the first pitcher who was the Mets first draft pick in a June amateur draft who never made it to the majors?

[Frayed Knot]

W.A.G. - Kirk Presley

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: W.A.G. - Kirk Presley

Presley was a Mets "first pick in the draft" pitcher who never made it to the majors. But there are a coupl'a other Mets who fit that bill and preceded Kirk.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Only three out of the last 12 Mets first round draft picks ever made it to the majors, although, to be fair, there's still plenty of time for those numbers to improve significantly.

Still, those three are:

Matt Harvey, Ike Davis and Eddie Kunz. Davis and Kunz were compensation picks.

[Frayed Knot]

batmagadanleadoff wrote: Only three out of the last 12 Mets first round draft picks ever made it to the majors, although, to be fair, there's still plenty of time for those numbers to improve significantly.

Yeah, that's more than just a bit misleading considering that most of those are recent, active, under 25, and are mostly showing up on Top-100 lists this winter.
To find the last NYM 1st pick of that year's 1st round who failed to make the big leagues you have to go back to Geoff Goetz in 1997. That was a bad one considering how he was the 6th overall pick that year. Reese Havens may have been the Mets 'real' draft pick that year but he was 4 picks after 'compensation' pick Ike.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Only three out of the last 12 Mets first round draft picks ever made it to the majors, although, to be fair, there's still plenty of time for those numbers to improve significantly. Yeah, that's more than just a bit misleading considering that most of those are recent, active, under 25, and are mostly showing up on Top-100 lists this winter. To find the last NYM 1st pick of that year's 1st round who failed to make the big leagues you have to go back to Geoff Goetz in 1997. That was a bad one considering how he was the 6th overall pick that year. Reese Havens may have been the Mets 'real' draft pick that year but he was 4 picks after 'compensation' pick Ike.

If I didn't include this qualifier in the one sentence I wrote ---->: "although, to be fair, there's still plenty of time for those numbers to improve significantly" <---- then perhaps I might be guilty of some misdirection. But I did. So I didn't. Besides, I'm writing to an audience of hard-core Mets fans who I know would catch that bullshit in half a second if I really did try to pass those number off as more Mets ineptitude.

Is there any way for me to write that only three of the Mets last 12 first round draft picks made it to the majors in a way that would satisfy everybody here? Or was that post just doomed to be nitpicked by somebody, no matter how qualified the comment?

[Frayed Knot]

Well I might suggest that when pointing out that 9-of-12 picks have failed to "ever" reach the majors, the fact that 6 of those still could, while the 3 who won't weren't even the first picks in that year's draft -- 2 were 2nd picks in their year while another was the team's 3rd choice and only 1 of the 3 was even a true 1st round pick (the others were supplemental picks outside the top 30) then I think the statement becomes meaningless to the point of not worth mentioning.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Frayed Knot wrote: Well I might suggest that when pointing out that 9-of-12 picks have failed to "ever" reach the majors, the fact that 6 of those still could, while the 3 who won't weren't even the first picks in that year's draft -- 2 were 2nd picks in their year while another was the team's 3rd choice and only 1 of the 3 was even a true 1st round pick (the others were supplemental picks outside the top 30) then I think the statement becomes meaningless to the point of not worth mentioning.

You guys already know this.

[Edgy MD]

I'm empty. I had forgotten Presley was a pitcher. In my clouded mind, he was a failed third baseman. Frayed Knot has already left me defeated just by having a legit guess.

[batmagadanleadoff]

Edgy MD wrote: I'm empty. I had forgotten Presley was a pitcher. In my clouded mind, he was a failed third baseman. Frayed Knot has already left me defeated just by having a legit guess.

This quiz is tough. We were looking for Dave Proctor, the Mets first pick in the 1988 draft. No MLB action, but carded nevertheless.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

I always said it was a Gamble on Procter.

[Edgy MD]

In my mind, Procter did get an appearance or two. I guess I've conflated him with Dave Liddell or somebody.

Time to schedule a neurological exam. And maybe a visit to the procterologist.